Bournemouth beach deaths – latest: Boat operations halted after ‘riptide’ pier tragedy

Sunnah Khan, 12 and Joe Abbess, 17, died last week after getting into difficulty off the pier

Boy, 17, and girl, 12, die following incident off Bournemouth beach

Boat operations from Bournemouth Pier, where two youngsters died last week, have been suspended as a precaution.

Sunnah Khan, 12, described by a family friend as an “angel”, and Joe Abbess, 17, died last week after getting into difficulty in the sea off the pier.

An inquest heard on Monday that they died of ‘drowning’.

Earlier, Sunnah’s mother Stephanie Williams said she was still in the dark about what happened during the incident and had not been given any information beyond what Dorset Police said at a news conference following the deaths.

On Tuesday, the local council said that a ban on boat operations would remain while the police carry out an investigation.

A statement, seen by the Independent, said: “All boat operations from the pier have been suspended as a precaution, pending a conclusion to the police investigation.

“We are aware the investigation is complex and will consult with Dorset Police when the investigation is complete.”

A 40-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the incident has been released under investigation.

Key points

• Two victims drowned, inquest hears
• Mother of ‘angel’ who drowned still in dark over what happened
• Teenagers hailed as heroes after risking lives to save drowning man on day of tragedy
• Family of girl who died in Bournemouth beach tragedy say death left ‘hole in our hearts’
• Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor says daughter taken out by ‘rip tide'
• Police search pleasure boat as part of investigation
• Two children who died in sea tragedy ‘not related', police say

[2 June 2023 17:43 · Joe Middleton]

Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor addresses rumours as police probe pleasure boat

The father of one of the survivors of the Bournemouth beach tragedy has addressed the rumours surrounding the mystery events that led to the deaths of a 12-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, as police search a pleasure boat as part of their investigation.

Survivor Lauren Tate, 18, one of eight others who were injured, was treated in hospital and is now continuing to recover at home, after a rip tide took her and her friends out to sea when they were swimming by the pier, according to her father.

In response to the intense speculation that has surrounded the incident, her father told MailOnline: “We’ve seen all the stuff about boats and jet skis but it wasn’t like that. She was swimming in the sea with her friends when the rip tide took them out.

[2 June 2023 17:59 · Joe Middleton]

Pleasure boat at centre of beach deaths investigation ‘was not licensed’

The sightseeing boat at the centre of investigations into the death of two youngsters ‘was not licensed’ by the local authority, a council spokesman has confirmed.

A spokesman for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council told PA: “We do not license this boat.”

This comes despite the authority’s website stating: “Any person who wishes to be in charge or navigate a pleasure boat/vessel, including Poole Harbour and Christchurch Harbour, for the purpose of letting it out for hire to members of the public, or to be used for carrying passengers for hire, must obtain a licence from us.”

The spokesman declined to comment on whether any other organisation licensed the Dorset Belle and referred all enquiries to Dorset Police.

[2 June 2023 18:45 · Joe Middleton]

What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy

Bournemouth has been rocked by the tragic deaths of two children who got into trouble in the sea as thousands of half-term holidaymakers descended on the popular beach.

A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday.

Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening.

Police are still establishing what happened during the incident, but a father of one of the beach tragedy survivors has claimed his 18-year-old daughter - who spent a short time in hospital after the incident - was taken out by a “riptide”.

[2 June 2023 19:45 · Joe Middleton]

ICYMI: Police say there was 'no physical contact' between vessel and swimmers at Bournemouth beach

[2 June 2023 21:37 · Joe Middleton]

Everything we know about impounded sightseeing boat after Bournemouth beach deaths

A sightseeing boat has been impounded by police after two children died in a tragic sea incident in Bournemouth this week.

A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near the Pier on Wednesday.

Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening.

A day after the incident, forensic officers were seen onboard the sightseeing boat, the Dorset Belle, at Cobb’s Quay, Poole Harbour.

[2 June 2023 22:45 · Natalie Crockett]

A boat seized by police in Bournemouth returned twice to the pier during the tragic incident that led to the death of two children on Wednesday, marine traffic data shows.

The 49-year-old sea-going passenger boat, Dorset Belle, was impounded by officers on Thursday and was the subject of further searches on Friday as it remained at the Cobb’s Quay, Poole Harbour, guarded by a police van.

In a new development, the website Marine Traffic indicated that the vessel had visited Bournemouth Pier, the scene of the incident, at 4pm, minutes before the first 999 calls were made, and returned again afterwards.

It comes as Dorset police are continuing investigations into the vessel and any role it may have had in the incident that led to the deaths of a girl, 12, from High Wycombe and a boy, 17, from Southampton.

Joe Middleton has more:

[2 June 2023 23:00 · Joe Middleton]

[3 June 2023 01:00 · Joe Middleton]

What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about incident

Tragedy struck a packed Bournemouth beach yesterday as two youngsters died after being pulled from the sea.

Eight other people were recovered from the water after getting into difficulty off the main pier as thousands of beachgoers enjoyed the sunny half-term weather.

They were treated by paramedics for non-life-threatening injuries.

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident has been launched by Dorset Police, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

[3 June 2023 02:00 · Joe Middleton]

Bournemouth: Witness describes 'panic' on beach after tragic incident

[3 June 2023 03:00 · Joe Middleton]

MP calls for safety review following Bournemouth beach deaths

A Bournemouth MP has called for a safety review following the death of two youngsters who died after getting into trouble off the popular beach and called on police to clarify the circumstances to end “wild speculation”.

The sightseeing boat, the Dorset Belle, which is at the centre of investigations, has been impounded by Dorset Police following the incident on Wednesday in which a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire and a 17-year-old boy from Southampton died.

Another eight people were treated by paramedics.

A man aged in his 40s who was “on the water” at the time was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and has been released under investigation on Thursday while police inquiries continue.